ISTANBUL — As anticipation builds around the first direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in years, the big question remains unanswered: Will Vladimir Putin meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy face-to-face in Istanbul?

Despite confirming preparations for the Thursday summit, the Kremlin remains silent on whether President Putin will attend in person. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia would reveal its official delegation “when Putin deems it necessary,” fueling speculation that the Russian leader may be trying to avoid a high-stakes confrontation with his Ukrainian counterpart.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has made it clear he is ready to travel to Turkey and engage directly — but only with Putin. “Any other meeting is pointless,” said Mykhailo Podolyak, Zelenskyy’s top advisor. “Only Putin can decide to stop the war.”

🔁 Talks Echo 2022 Peace Efforts in Istanbul

This new round of diplomacy echoes the March 2022 Istanbul peace talks, when Russian and Ukrainian delegations met just weeks after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Those talks ended inconclusively, with Ukraine demanding a ceasefire and full Russian withdrawal, while Moscow pushed controversial demands such as Ukraine’s permanent neutrality, military downsizing, and banning future NATO membership — terms widely seen as tantamount to surrender.

Now, three years later, the Kremlin wants to restart negotiations from where they left off in 2022, according to Russian presidential aide Yuriy Ushakov. However, analysts say the situation on the ground has changed: Russia has failed to meet key military objectives, including capturing any major Ukrainian city or fully securing the Donbas.

🚨 Key Demands from 2022 Resurface in 2025

Documents leaked in 2022 suggested Russia wanted:

• A constitutional ban on Ukraine joining military alliances (e.g., NATO).

• A military cap of 85,000 Ukrainian troops.

• Missile range limits under 40 km.

• The termination of Western defense pacts seen as “incompatible” with neutrality.

These demands appear unchanged — despite Russia’s limited success and growing battlefield losses since the initial invasion.

🌍 Global Stakes at the Table

Western leaders are closely watching the Istanbul 2025 peace summit, seeing it as a moment of truth for Putin. Zelenskyy’s government has firmly rejected talks with any Russian representatives below the presidential level. For Ukraine, only a direct conversation with Putin will be considered meaningful.

If both leaders attend, it would mark their first meeting since December 2019 and potentially the beginning of a new chapter in Ukraine war negotiations.

However, without Putin’s participation, the peace talks risk collapse before they begin, reinforcing views among Ukraine’s allies that the Kremlin is not serious about ending the war.